LONDON, April 20 -- Embattled UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer will face lawmakers in parliament today as he bids to quell anger over an unrelenting scandal involving long-time Jeffrey Epstein associate Peter Mandelson.

Starmer, already widely unpopular with the public and many Labour MPs, is struggling to end a controversy that has threatened his grip on power.

Fresh calls for him to quit came on Thursday when it was revealed that Mandelson -- whose friendship with the late convicted sex offender was long common knowledge -- became Britain's ambassador to the United States in late 2024 despite failing security checks.

The beleaguered leader insisted Friday that he and other ministers were not told Mandelson had failed the vetting proces...